REFLECTION: November 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

some accessories to drool over... and some just for fun

Drool Item

Sequin Cross Body Bag, Kate Spade (yes... this is Kate Spade. I could barely believe it myself)

nordstrom.com

(p.s. not only is this an item to drool over... it is also extremely fun. I'm hoping to add this to my handbag collection very soon...)

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Drool Item

Gold Watch, Michael Kors

shopstyle.com

I love this because it isn't round. If you are wanting a boyfriend watch this holiday season, ask for this shape instead of the classic style.

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For Fun

"This Year I Will" Bangle, Kate Spade

piperlime.com

Inside the bracelet it says "THIS YEAR I WILL." Then, along the outside it reads:

"Read the Classics, Conquer the Souffle, Learn to Cha-Cha, Take up the Trumpet, Fall Head Over Heels." How CUTE is that??? I need one.

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For Fun

Pave Owl Studs, Juicy Couture

piperlime.com

These are just adorable for everyday wear... I don't think they really need an explanation.

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Drool Item

Rose Tear Drop Earrings, Alexis Bittar

alexisbittar.com

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Drool Item

Madonna Necklace, Lionette

sheshopboutique.com

This piece took me a minute to take notice too. It goes a bit longer than it looks here, which makes it so much better. It's a good chunky piece for layering with more dainty necklaces. It would be really great with an over sized tee or a minimal dress, such as the black Top Shop dress in the post below.

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For Fun

"Rich Kid" Wallet, Paris House

shopsheboutique.com

This line carries humorous pieces that are witty yet chic. At first I was taken back, but it only took a couple seconds for this piece to grow on me.

Dressing Dashingly

That's right... the holidays are right around the corner, and as a result I have already started to think about all the new items in need of purchasing. There is a little bit of everything on my "to-buy" list, from holiday gifts to Christmas decorations to what I'm going to make (and in turn buy) for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals... The list goes on and on. In addition, there is always the ever important purchase of the Holiday Dress. With so many holiday dinners and festive gatherings between Thanksgiving and New Years, at some point, we all wish we had a little something special to wear for these events. So, in the spirit of every girl's favorite holiday purchase, here are some of my favorite cocktail pieces in the season's most sought after trends.

Minimalism

Bandeau Tail Dress, Top Shop

topshop.com

Cobalt Wrap Front Dress, Reiss

reissonline.com/us

Cape Sleeved Dress, Top Shop

topshop.com

Twinkle

Glitter Mesh Bandeau Dress, Top Shop

topshop.com

Strapless "Carnival" Sequin Dress, French Connection

bloomingdales.com

Open Back Sequin Dress, Alice + Olivia

bloomingdales.com

Sequin & Crystal Copper Rose Embellished Dress, Reiss

reissonline.com/us

Feminine Details

Embellished Crop Top Ruffle Dress, ASOS

asos.com

Fly Away Runaway Dress, Rebecca Taylor

shopbop.com

Velvet and Leather Cocktail Dress, Robert Rodriguez

shopbop.com

Strapless Rosette Corset Dress, BCBGMAXAZRIA

saksfifthavenue.com

Make a Statement

Evangeline Feather Dress, Whistles

asos.com

"Cleo" Strapless Layered Dress, Alice + Olivia

bloomingdales.com

Pearl Embellished Body Conscious Dress, ASOS

asos.com

Asymmetrical Satin-Jersey Knit Dress, Alexander Wang

net-a-porter.com

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Do or Don’t: Knee High Socks

Hello blogosphere, it’s been a while since I’ve written. Being so busy with work, blogging has been low on my priority list and I haven’t been able to attempt at a decent post. That is until recently when a dear friend of mine motivated me to stop being lazy and just write (well, not just write – she had a few requests in mind J). So here I am, starting off the holiday season with an accessories post on something that can be quite debatable – "sky high" socks.

Tall hosiery can be a tricky thing. I’d say this “trend” started to gain momentum last fall, but wasn’t picked up by many. I myself invested in a pair last winter but failed to wear them because something wasn’t quite right. As I’ve seen this styling trick evolve, I’ve decided on a couple tid bits and tricks that will keep you from looking like Cher Horowitz in my favorite past time, “Clueless”.

(Don't get me wrong, I do love the nineties, but this is not what we're going for...)

TIPS AND TRICKS:

*First, there are two sock heights you should consider. Option (a) is knee high choice, then option (b) would be thigh high socks.

*No matter what sock you choose, I think it is important to stick to a neutral, dark shade. Think blacks, browns and grays. You can also look for tweed options that have a mix of all three. Staying to these colors will keep the look modern and up to date. Dark greens and burgundies are perfect too.

*Consider sock weights. I’d go with a thicker version to keep them from looking like thigh high tights (no, thigh high tights weren’t even that cute with your bunny costume for the weekly frat party in college). In addition to weights, consider texture. Cable knit and any kind of sweater tights are great for this look.

*Think chunky knits when wearing your socks. Chunky cardigans, pull over over sized sweaters, sweater dresses… stuff like that. It’s winter people, so there is no excuse to not bundle up! The more layers, the better!

OK, so now that we have gone over the basics, lets move to option A vs. option B...

KNEE HIGH SOCKS:

If you are going to try the knee high option, you need to invest in some tall boots that go just below the knee. The boots should be about one to two inches shorter than the socks, so that the socks just “pop” out of the top. This was a styling mark at the Rag & Bone FW10 show, as you can see here:

To get the look, try these pieces...

Black Denim Shorts

Topshop.com

Oversized Knit Cardi

Topshop.com

Knee High Socks

Topshop.com

Eternity Scarf

urbanoutfitters.com

Cardigan, Rebecca Taylor

bloomingdales.com

Boots, Dolce Vita

Nordstrom.com

note: mix with different colors... add some burgundy and greens in similar styles with your grays and neutrals

OVER THE KNEE SOCKS:

Wear with short shorts, short skirts, pumps and platforms. Or, if you’re really daring, try over the knee boots that are an inch or two shorter than the boots!

Try wearing over the knee socks with leather shorts, an over-sized top (t-shirt, sweater… your choice) and wedges. Or try a sweater dress! Remember to accessorize too with lots of chunky metal bracelets, some rings and either a necklace or earrings. Here are some of my favorite picks.